The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: princesslayer on June 19, 2015, 01:36:06 pm
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So I have one broody hen sitting on eggs and here's the situation this morning (day 21!):
Hen is squatting near the eggs eyes closed, looking like death, eggs cold. She's staggering and one is broken, chick visible inside and showing signs of life but membrane still intact. I decide to get it out, it looks like it's a day or so too young and gasping once a minute. Looks unviable.
I tried to get the hen perked up and eventually get her to sit back on everything.
Few hours later, hen has perked right up but eggs are cold and she's standing off them. I've decided they need to be warm so I've brought them in to find a warm place. Two are pipping. Hatched chick is def dead and I've removed it.
What next?! Can I keep them warm enough to hatch in next day or so? Would a heat lamp work overnight for eggs, then they can use it if they hatch? I have nothing else.
Thanks!
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Well if the hen won't take them, and....
I have nothing else.
Then practically, I don't see what else you can do! Just watch the humidity - perhaps lay a damp towel over the eggs? Don't know what else to suggest really....
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Yes, as the previous poster said, immediately you have no other option. But why not check the local paper/advert cards/feed merchant notice board for a cheap secondhand incubator, or go on to ebay/gumtree etc. and see if you can source one quickly? After all, an incubator - even a small one, is a useful standby for such emergencies or if hens refuse to go broody as sometimes happens. 'Brinsea' is one make that comes to mind, but there are several makes/sizes available.
Good luck, hope all goes well.
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ditto the above-if you are on FB is worth trying out poultry groups to see if anyone local might lend you one?
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Could you put some wheat in a soft bag, pop it in the microwave for a couple of mins, check the temp, then lay it over the eggs? You'd need to keep a close eye on the temp as they don't hold heat for long, but as an immediate solution it might work.
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Thanks all, three eggs I can hear chicks scratching about inside. How long from that stage to hatch, or is it as long as a piece of string?
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Down the cleavage ;)
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Hi
I had a similar situation recently (though the trigger for broody to leave remaining eggs was that two had hatched and she took the chicks away for food). I had one egg pipping in the abandoned nest.
I didn't have an incubator either so I kept the egg warm on a warm water bottle, kitchen towels moistened with warm water for humidity and an upturned glass bowl as a cover which I kept dunking in hot water to warm up (in hindsight it was probably a bit too warm) I practically stared at the egg for 12 hours until it hatched successfully. :thumbsup:
(I have also heard of ladies carrying about to hatch eggs in their bra to keep them warm, as weird as it sounds it seem a good idea to me :roflanim:
I only carefully opened the pipping hole a bit more, just enough to see that the chick inside was breathing. Then I spent some time googling and stumble on this guide http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching (http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching)]
- as a result I kept well away from rushing things, which in hindsight was all-important (you may have killed the first chick by getting it out too early).
If you can keep them reasonably warm, and the membranes moist, have the time to keep a close watch, and stay away from rushing things, then you could be in for a good chance I think. Good luck! :fc:
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An incubator or another broody hen would be ideal, but .....anything is worth a try in a situation like this. How about the bottom oven of an Aga or similar if you know of someone with one - perhaps with the door open though. I have an oil filled radiator, perhaps if the eggs were placed under one of those, they would keep warm ......like I said, any idea is worth considering.
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I've known folks in a similar situation utilise an airing cupboard (with the boiler left on all the time and also an ordinary light bulb (using a thermometer to ensure the temperature where the eggs were sitting was correct). Do you have a neighbour with poultry? Maybe someone would lend you an incubator for a few hours.
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After carrying them round in my bra for half the day I have managed to secure an ancient incubator from a neighbour :relief:
Three are scratching and cheeping in the eggs, the other two are silent but they may be a day or two behind.
I think the first one had been crushed and wasn't ready to hatch. It was broken at the bottom end of the bird.
I'll keep a close eye on temperature and humidity and try and leave them well alone.
Thanks again all!
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Try to not turn them ps. A just warm oven will do :fc: :hug:
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And PLEASE keep us updated - we're all watching this thread with :fc:
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How is the hen?
I had a similar episode some years ago when the hen collapsed just as the chicks were due to hatch.
It was only because I went to check her in the evening that I realised what the problem was. She was absolutely covered in red mites. Of course during the day you don't see them so everything appeared ok, and then they came out in force at night.
She recovered when I doused her in louse powder and moved her elsewhere. And since then I've always put a layer of louse powder or diatomaceous earth under the straw before letting a hen sit.
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I lash together broody coops from old puppy cage panels, fireguards, twinwall polycarb .... fondly called The Shack Collection. Each one is "new" and can be hosed down after use. The broodies are checked for lice before being set on eggs and set in the morining so if they do have any red mite they're gone into their daytime lairs in the original housing.
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can we have an update please? Im very interested in how you are doing :fc:
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Hooray! Two lovely chicks hatched in the last hour and a third well on it's way. I'm leaving them alone. Last two eggs still no signs of life but I did candle them, they've got big chicks in just can't tell if they're alive.
Hen is slightly perkier, she was covered in mite and we doused her yesterday. She's not right enough for me to try re-introducing chicks so they're in the house for the duration I think.
Will the chicks learn to peck crumbs/water/soaked crumbs on their own? Can they stay in the incubator for a day or so?
Thanks for the encouragement everyone, lots to learn for next time! Like the idea of doing a new coop each year and dusting it with d-earth. Should have guessed that a sitting hen would be a magnet.
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Lightly tap the eggs with a fingernail, the chicks may cheep back, if not still don't give up hope, they may still hatch. As for feeding chicks, just chick crumbs will do. "peck" about in it with a fingernail to mimic the hen pecking, a couple of minutes and they will get it. Water in a very shallow container eg a jam jar lid for the first few days. Well done :thumbsup:
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I love a happy ending :thumbsup:
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I "teach " them how to drink by gently dipping the end of their beaks in very shallow water. I have to do it 3/4 times then they get the idea.
Although I keep a full chick feeding trough in the box with the chicks I put some crumb on the floor very close to the brooder so they don't have to come out to get it. I move it around with my finger. They seem to like stuff that moves! Again, it doesn't take long for them to get the idea.
Watch for their bums getting bunged up! Ive had to bathe off some dried pooh on one of my chicks today and when I had she did a huge pooh and started eating straight away! Warm water and cotton wool
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Lovely update - so glad it ended well! :thumbsup:
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Brilliant news.
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Any update - and piccies? :excited:
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What about sticking them in a nice temperature in the top oven, very nice and toasty, not too hot though.
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Another way of keeping a sitting hen is to put her in a large cardboard box with plenty of straw and make sure the box is long ad lift her every now and again for the toilet and for food and water.
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Hello all,
I promise to put some pics up (very cute) but I've got a couple of behaviour questions.
I've seem them pecking crumbs and have dipped their beaks in water and I think that's going ok.
They're under a heat lamp. Can I trust them to move away from the heat if they're too hot? They have space to get into a cooler part of the box.
They seem to have gone to sleep, eyes shut head resting on bottom of box. Is this normal? They perk straight up when they hear a noise and have been doing a lot if bustling about.
The last two eggs are hatching now. If I get five chicks from six eggs after that rocky start I'll be delighted!
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That is the behaviour of chicks who are contented and happy. Bless them, hope the others hatch out as well.
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If they are inside just make sure the heat lamp isn't too close as the ambient temperature will be reasonable anyway.
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They sound just fine.
Mine spend a lot of time tucked under their brooder so don't worry.
If they don't all dash out to me when I go to check them I take each one out and give it the once over. I think its good to get them used to being handled and you can spot anything like a dried up bum. When I put them back in the box I do it away from the brooder so they have to get some walking practice to get back to the warm! In my previous hatch that's how I noticed that one had splayed leg and fixed it.
Its all sounding good after your nightmare start to the hatch.
Is mother hen OK now?
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Here's a pic, hopefully...
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Hello,
Chicks 1-3 all seem to be doing very well, very active little mites. Getting quite a bit of speed up across the box already. Pecking at crumbs and at least two of them I've seen drinking. I've had the lamp at the same height all day and they seem to hang around in between the lamp and the cool area so I thik i'll leave it where it is. It a small room and warm as the ancient incubator is still on with the last two. They have pipped though and are cheeping but not out yet. I'm determinedly leaving them alone!
Hen is better each day but slow progress. She seems addled, not really following the others and not putting herself to bed, we have to go and pick her up. Shes eating and drinking and her comb is gradually getting more colour, I think she'll be ok. She's skin and bone so needs building up. I've got her a mite recovery tonic, see if that helps.
Hopefully I have added a pic! Thanks for putting up with all my questions and irrelevant detail!
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All good news, well done you! :excited:
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that's good news all round. Hopefully Mum will be feeling better soon.